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ST2MIDI Converter +
The ST2MIDI Converter + was a project Andrew Gower made on his personal site around 1998. Its description read: ST utility to redirect sound from YM chip to the MIDI ports in realtime, vastly improving a games music Since it is a converter it is unlikely to be improved and it is very unlikely it will ever be remade again. It came with a description that could be opened with microsoft word which read: ---- ''ST To MIDI Converter Plus ''By Cunning And Devious Developments ''All programming by Andrew Gower ''Writen in 68000 machine code using Devpac 2 ''Copyright 1997 ''Introduction ''This utility enables you to use your MIDI keyboard, or MIDI sound ''module to emulate a sound card. Once installed it can convert ''bleepy chip music into top quality sound output! ''Improvements in new version ''Better quality conversion, Greater compatability, Drum emulation ''now available, Easier to use, Takes less memory (only 3K!) ''Installing the program ''Ensure the main program is in an auto folder on a disk, then ''reboot the computer with the disk in the drive, and turn on your ''MIDI keyboard. You will be presented with an option screen ''allowing you to configure the program to your preferences. First ''you need to enter the instrument numbers which you wish to be ''used for each of the 3 ST sound channels. Most keyboards tell you ''the number of each instrument, or have a seperate booklet with ''them in. Next you need to tell the program which channel number ''your keyboard uses for drums. (Normally 16). Entering 0 disables ''drum output. Finally you need to select the programs protection ''level. Self protect should be turned off, unless you are running ''a program which you find disables this utility. (Eg. Frontier ''Elite 2). Now insert the disk you wish to use, and press space. ''If there are any auto folder programs you are given the option to ''run them now, otherwise control is passed to the desktop where ''you can run the software as usual. ''Compatability ''This utility will not work with any software which runs from a ''boot-sector (Some commercial games/demos), most other software ''works, but some programs erase it from memory even with self ''protect switched on. Other programs crash if it is installed. The ''success rate with non boot-sector programs is still very good ''(Aprox 70% in my collection). ''Getting successful results ''To make the music sound good when it comes from your MIDI device, ''you will need to experiment a bit. Don't be suprised if at first ''it sounds terrible, just try changing the instruments around a ''bit, or turning the drums emulation off if it sounds poor with a ''particular program. You should be able to achieve excellent ''results. Unfortunately there is no 1 configuration you can use, ''as different music needs differant instruments/drums, so once you ''find out what works with a program I recommend you write it down ''so you don't need to work it out again. You can either turn the ''ST's volume down, or listen to both outputs at once, which sounds ''best depends again on the music. ''Some compatible software ''The Secret Of Monkey Island, Civilisation, Frontier Elite 2, STOS ''and anything written in it, Railroad Tycoon, Lotus 2, Cruise For ''A Corpse, Titus The Fox, Xenon, Wizball, Arkanoid 2, Zynaps, ''Starquake, Hero's of the lance, Rock and Roll, BMC, Giga Music, ''Hell Raiser, Phantasm, Skull Diggery.